Connector



Nov. 29, 1966 MAS ETAL 3,289,151

CONNECTOR Original Filed Jan. 22, 1963 M r 67 I NVEN 'TORS United States Patent 3,289,151 CONNECTOR Joseph A. Mas, Woodbury, and Melvin F. Walker, Deer Park, N.Y., assignors to Dynamic Instrument Corp., a corporation of New York Original application Jan. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 253,168, pow Patent No. 3,246,282, dated Apr. 12, 1966. Divided and this application Aug. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 485,976 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-257) This application is a division of application Serial Number 253,168, filed January 22, 1963, now Patent Number 3,246,282.

This invention relates to electrical connectors and more specifically to a novel and improved connector assembly that is particularly useful in a wide variety of electrical and electronic applications.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved battery connector for making firm and dependable contact with batteries while the latter are connected with a device to be operated thereby, such connectors facilitating the connection of an auxiliary device such as a battery charger, a battery voltage indicator, an auxiliary load and the like.

The above and other objects will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of connectors in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of a novel and improved battery connector in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3 thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of a connector identical to that illustrated in FIG. 2 but with a portion removed to facilitate attachment of a connector to a modified battery.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a conventional so-called dry cell retained between spring clips and with the battery connectors in accordance with the invention in position between the battery and the spring clips.

FIGURE 6 shows the application of a battery clip in accordance with the invention to a modified form of battery and associated connector.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the battery and connector assembly of FIG. 6 taken along the line 7-7 thereof.

The improved connector 41 in accordance with the invention is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and comprises a flat body part 42 of a suitable conductive material such as brass, phosphor bronze and the like, it being preferable to use a material which will afford some degree of resiliency. The top edge 43 is curved over and upon itself to receive one end of a lead wire such as the wires 20 and 23 of cable 40 and is then rolled tightly as indicated at 43' in FIGS. 1 and S to firmly hold the wire therein. If desired, the top edge 43 may be rolled as shown at 43' and then the connecting lead soldered in place. The central portion of the plate 42 has a circular dished portion 44 which is partially severed from the plate 42. This partial severance is accomplished by the formation of inclined slots 45 extending from the bottom edge of the body 42 as shown in FIG. 2 and inclined upwardly and inwardly to the periphery of the dished portion 44. These slots may be exceedingly narrow and may consist merely of slits through the material. A pair of oblong openings 46 are formed in the body and extend from the upper quadrants of the dished portion 44 and slope upwardly and outwardly as shown in FIG. 2. The outer edges 46' are in closely spaced relationship to the side edges of the body 42 and the periphery of the dished portion 44 between the inner edge of each slit 45 and the intersection of the openings 46 are partially or completely cut as indicated at 47. The peripheral portion 48 of the dished part 44 which extends between the openings 46 is scored to facilitate removal of the dished portion 44 together with the body part 42' which is formed integrally with the dished portion 44.

When the clip 41 is utilized for connection to a cylindrical battery having terminals at opposing ends as shown in FIG. 5, the dished portion 44 remains in position as shown in FIG. 2. Such a cylindrical battery, which is denoted by the numeral 49 in FIG. 5, would normally be held between spring clips 50 and 51, these clips having leads 52 and 53 secured thereto for connection to a device for operation by the battery. The base 54 of such a conventional battery 49 has an indented portion for cooperation with a shallow boss 55 on the contact 50 which secures the base of the battery 49 in engagement with the contact 50. The positive terminal 56 of the battery 49 has a boss 57 on the outer surface thereof which engages a corresponding indent on the cooperating contact 51 to effect engagement of the battery with the contact 51. When utilizing the clips 41 with the battery as shown in FIG. 5, the dished portion 44 of the clip engages both the indent on the base 54 of the battery and the boss 55 on the contact 50. The second clip similarly engages the boss 57 on the positive terminal of the battery and the indent 58 on the clip 51. In this way, the clips 41 are held in engagement with the battery and with the contacts 50 and 51.

In the case of batteries, such as the battery 59 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a dual terminal spring clip 60 is provided for attaching leads to the battery. The spring clip includes an elongated insulating member 61 and a pair of terminals 62 and 64. Terminal 62 cooperates with a female spring terminal 63 on the battery 59 while terminal 64, which is identical to the terminal 63 on the battery, cooperates with a cylindrical terminal 65 of the battery. In this way, the clip 60 can be placed in engagement with the battery in only one polarity and leads 66 and 67 are used to connect the battery to the device being powered. When utilizing the connectors 41 with a battery as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the dished portion 44 of each clip is removed as shown, for instance, in FIG. 4, and the narrowed portions A and A of the clip permit the legs B to spring outwardly. With this arrangernent, each clip 41 can be moved into engagement with the spring clips 63 and 64 to connect the receptacle 10 with the battery.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the clip 41 can be used with a wide variety of batteries including all sizes of cylindrical batteries and with many different sizes of spring clips as described in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7. If desired, the logs B as shown in FIG. 4 can be sprung outwardly to accommodate slightly larger clips or in the alternative, can be bent inwardly to accommodate smaller clips.

While only one embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it is evident that alterations, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clip comprising an essentially rectangular plate of thin resilient material, the center of said :plate being dished to form a depression in one side thereof, said plate further including a pair of slots extending from one edge thereof inwardly and partially about said dished portion to partially sever it from said plate and means on said plate for electrically connecting a lead wire thereto, the concave side of said dished portion being adapted to en- 3 gage the post of a dry cell and the convex side being References Cited by the Examiner adapted to engage the base of a dry 'cell; UNITED STATES PATENTS 2. A clip according to claim 1 wherein said plate includes a pair of openings at the inner ends of said slots, 1274543 9/1918 Hememan' 5 2,901,526 9/1959 Huntley et a1. 339152 X said openings mtersecting said dlshed portion and ex- 3,129,047 4 /1964 Bennett 339*257 X tending outwardly to points in closely spaced relationship to the adjoining edges of said plate, and -a scored port-ion FOREIGN PATENTS extending between said openings to facilitate removal of 649,231 9/ 1962 Canadasaid dished portion, said clip upon removal of said dished 0 portion being adapted to engage the periphery of a bat- EDWARD C ALLEN Pnmary Exammer .tery terminal post. W. DONALD MILIJER, Examiner. 

1. A CLIP COMPRISING AN ESSENTIALLY RECTANGULAR PLATE OF THIN RESILIENT MATERIAL, THE CENTER OF SAID PLATE BEING DISHED TO FORM A DEPRESSION IN ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID PLATE FURTHER INCLUDING A PAIR OF SLOTS EXTENDING FROM ONE EDGE THEREOF INWARDLY AND PARTIALLY ABOUT SAID DISHED PORTION TO PARTIALLY SEVER IT FROM SAID PLATE AND MEANS ON SAID 